Best Used 7-Seater SUVs

Land Rover is a true staple in British automotive history, producing a plethora of iconic models over the years. The Land Rover Discovery, which is well-known for its presence both on and off-road, lives up to the brand’s reputation.

As one of the most practical 7-seat SUVs on the market, the Discovery offers plenty of room in the cabin, even in the third row of seats. The driving experience is equally impressive, being as good off the road as it is on it. Not many cars can boast that.

With all the seats in place, the boot space is 258 litres, or about the size of a Ford Fiesta‘s boot. Handily, all five rear seats fold individually, so you can choose to fold one seat down at a time.

The Discovery is available in both petrol and diesel variants, all fitted with 4×4 technology to tackle tricky conditions. If you’re seeking more emphasis on luxury but still want off-road capabilities, the Range Rover is also a great alternative.

Volvo has always prioritised safety in its cars, and the XC90 is packed with technology to keep you safe on the roads.

Boasting a spacious and comfortable cabin, the XC90 easily competes with its rivals and offers a well-sized 451-litre boot with all seven seats in place, making it one of the biggest 7-seat SUVs out there.

Scoring a full five stars during its Euro NCAP safety test, the XC90 excels in the area of safety too, achieving an impressive 97% and 87% ratings for adult and child occupation protection respectively. This is, in part, thanks to advanced technology such as pre-collision assist, adaptive cruise control, and a lane departure system.

You can find XC90s with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants. The petrol will be fine for most people and will achieve 30mpg, while diesel models are capable of 35mpg and above. In 2019 the brand added mild hybrid technology to both fuel types, improving real-world fuel economy by up to 15%.

In 2016, Peugeot unveiled the second generation of the 5008, taking the nameplate from a fairly average MPV to an award-winning SUV with enough modern styling details to turn heads.

Having won many awards for its stylish design and great practicality, the 5008 ticks plenty of boxes for potential SUV owners. It’s spacious, comfortable and drives well considering its size.

The back row of seats is best reserved for small children, but the rest of the car offers plenty of leg and headroom. The 5008 is fitted with several advanced safety features such as active blind-spot detection, adaptive cruise control and active lane-keeping assistance.

Petrol and diesel options are available for The Peugeot 5008.

The Skoda Kodiaq is a standout in the brand’s now extensive SUV lineup and boasts remarkable levels of space and practicality considering its price point.

Inside, the cabin of the Kodiaq feels roomy and well-built, and whilst the third row of seats may feel quite limited for adults, there’ll be little to complain about for children. Alongside this, you get a 270-litre boot with all the seats in place.

Where the Kodiaq excels is value. It’s a large SUV that shares its underpinnings with the more expensive Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace and SEAT Tarraco, but comes with a tremendous amount of interior features and equipment as standard.

The sporting spirit of BMW is truly incorporated into the X5, with more of a focus on performance than other SUVs on this list. The X5 has a stylish, upmarket interior with one of the best infotainment systems available.

Whilst it’s not quite as spacious as other SUVs on this list, adults will be more than comfortable in the front and rear, while the optional third row is best reserved for those who don’t need as much legroom.

In terms of driving, you can’t fault the X5. It offers a smooth, comfortable ride, and the steering is engaging and well-weighted. In other words, it’s a rare SUV that’s fun to drive. Thanks to BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, the X5 is a pretty capable off-roader, with the system automatically distributing power delivery to individual wheels to maximise overall grip.

Audi introduced the Q7 to compete with the likes of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. It’s safe to say the Q7 has impressed a lot of UK buyers and car journalists alike, winning awards within the SUV category whilst selling very well.

The Q7 offers plenty of room and a healthy dose of comfort in all three rows, and with all of them in place, there’s still 295 litres of boot space. The handling is quite nimble and agile for such a large car too, making it undoubtedly one of the best luxury 7-seat SUVs on the market.

Like most Audis, there are plenty of trim options. The entry-level Sport models feature leather seats and 20-inch alloy wheels, while high-spec Black Edition versions offer more aggressive exterior features and adaptive sport suspension, allowing you to control the stiffness of the suspension at the touch of a button.

As standard, most used Nissan X-Trails are 5-seater cars, so you need to filter to 7-seat versions when searching for used models to bring up the examples that you want.

No matter which version you choose, the cabin is stylish and spacious, offering plenty of room for adults. However, it’s by no means the biggest car on this list, and while small children will be okay for room in the rearmost seats, the boot shrinks from 550 litres in five-seat mode to a measly 145 with all the seats in place.

The entry-level Acenta grade offers a lot of tech as standard for your money, yet it’s worthwhile opting for the higher-spec Tekna model to get useful features such as dual-zone climate control and front and rear parking sensors.

The all-electric Tesla Model X has several unique features that set it far apart from its 7-seat SUV competition.

Standing out from the crowd, the Tesla Model X doesn’t look like your typical SUV. Distinctive features such as the rear ‘falcon’ doors may split opinion, but you’ll be hard-pushed to find a car that’s more technologically advanced in this segment.

It’s by far and away the fastest-accelerating car on this list. This is thanks to two powerful electric motors (three in the top-of-the-range models), which deliver a combined 328bhp even in the entry-level 75d variant.

Inside, the Model X is spacious and comfortable, and its design is far more minimalist than other 7-seater SUVs. It has a large central touchscreen that controls virtually all of the car’s functions. From the sat nav and radio to the doors and heating controls, this impressive piece of technology helps to enhance the overall experience.

Kia has continuously improved the Sorento over its generations, now offering hybrid and plug-in hybrid options with the fourth generation. This is the generation where the Sorento really went upmarket, with a premium-quality interior and a lot of advanced technology included as standard.

All variants of this generation came with seven seats as standard. With them all in place, the boot shrinks from 616 litres to 187, which is less than a Kia Picanto.

You’ll find the Sorento is nice and quiet with a smooth ride, which makes long motorway journeys a breeze.

Mercedes-Benz knows what it takes to create luxury high-end cars, and the GLS is an SUV that ticks every box in this segment.

If you’re looking for a luxury 7-seat SUV, the Mercedes GLS offers an extraordinarily comfortable cabin. The GLS has practicality covered too, offering lots of space and a vast boot thanks to its large external dimensions. The third row can comfortably fit children, and even adults will still feel as though they have plenty of room.

With all seven seats in place, you still get a more than respectable 355 litres of boot space, which is about the same size as an A-Class.

Those who haven’t driven a car of this size may take a bit of time to get used to it, but advanced technology such as the 360-degree top-down camera system helps with manoeuvring around town.